Handpicking
Hand destruction or removal of insects and egg masses insures quick and positive control. This method is especially effective with foliage-feeding insects such as squash bugs, hornworms, and bean beetles. Excluding labor, handpicking is the least expensive of all organic or natural control practices. However, handpicking also has disadvantages in that it must be performed long before insect damage is noticeable and at the key stage of development of the insect. This is where scouting, an Integrated Pest Management technique, is important. Gardeners must actively monitor their crops, watching for the first sign of damage before insect populations get too high.